The present invention relates to medical procedures and devices, more particularly to those devices used to infuse and remove fluids from the body of a patient during a surgical procedure.
Endoscopic/laproscopic surgical procedures have grown significantly in popularity over the years due to the fact that they are minimally invasive and tthe miniature, remotely-controlled surgical instruments used have improved. To allow such procedures to be undertaken, means are frequently required to distend the patient""s body cavity at the site of surgery to allow for surgical implement manipulation and visualization. Gasous or liquid insulflatants are used for this purpose depending upon the operation. Certain procedures also utilize a liquid insulflatant as a lavage for removing blood and excised tissue from the surgical site to maintain visibility and to clean the area. For example, in fibroid removal, the uterus is flooded with a clear liquid, e.g., isotonic saline solution, under sufficient pressure to separate the walls of the uterus to permit the surgical site to be viewed with an endoscope. After the uterine cavity has been distended by the liquid, a surgical tool such as an electrocautery tool or resectoscope, may be positioned within the uterus to remove the fibroids which are vaporized at its cutting surface. During the surgery, fluid flow out of the uterus is maintained and the severed tissue and electro surgical debris are removed from the uterus with the outflowing fluid. During procedures of this type, the amount of irrigating liquid present in the patient""s body must be closely controlled because excessive absorption thereof can be extremely detrimental to the patient. Accordingly, inflow to the body cavity must closely approximate outflow. In certain instances, a pressure differential is provided in order to maintain distension of the cavity. Many fluid management systems utilize a source of vacuum to control fluid outflow. Various methods have been proposed in the past to monitor the fluid inflow and outflow in surgical fluid management systems, but there is a continuing need for ever-improved precision in the management of fluid flow in these applications. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide for simpler, more accurate and more reliable fluid flow control during surgical procedures.
The problems and disadvantages associated with conventional techniques and devices for sensing the presence of fluid in a conduit, such as those used to infuse and remove fluids from the body of a patient during surgery, are overcome by the present invention which includes a fluid sensor for determining the presence of fluid in a light transmissive conduit. The light sensor has a light emitter and a light detector positioned proximate to the conduit. The light detector is juxtaposed relative to the light emitter to receive light emitted by the light emitter. The light received by the light detector is dependent upon the presence of fluid in the conduit.